State Dept. officials resign after release of Benghazi report

‘Systemic failures’ left consulate inadequately protected; attack coordinated, not result of protest over a video

By Doug Powers  •  December 19, 2012 12:03 PM

As I was about to post all that stuff below, the AP Tweeted that a State Department security chief and two others have resigned. More details on that as they come in. (Update: So far there are only details about one resignation)

Now, to the report that precipitated those resignations, and maybe others to come…
From Fox News:

A State Department-ordered investigation into September’s attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, concluded that “systemic failures” left the facility inadequately protected, according to the independent review board’s report, which confirmed that no protest preceded the deadly attack.  

The report, posted Tuesday night on the State Department’s website, also identified “leadership and management deficiencies at senior levels within two bureaus.” It suggested 29 ways the department can improve its operations, but recommended no disciplinary action. 

The Accountability Review Board’s report comes after more than three months of intense debate in Washington over who was behind the attack, what motivated the attackers and why U.S. authorities weren’t able to stop the violence, which took the lives of Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans.

The ARB’s report on Benghazi does not assign responsibility to any specific individuals, and it also doesn’t make a single mention of the YouTube video. Also, the report specifically says there never was a protest in Benghazi that day, which was another initial claim of members of the Obama administration.  (Continues)